This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of peach, Prunus persica cv. ‘Supechsixteen’. The new variety was first hybridized, selected, and evaluated as breeder number ‘PE216’ by Terry Bacon on Sun World Experimental Ranch 540 near Mecca, Calif. in Riverside County. The variety originated by hybridization.
The new variety is characterized by a low chilling requirement (about 200 hours at or below 7.2° C.), early harvest (May 8 near Wasco, Kern County, Calif.), approximately 90-100% red over-color, bright yellow background color and flesh color, excellent eating quality with crisp-juicy non-melting texture and relatively high soluble solids (13% brix) for an early-season peach.
The seed parent is ‘94003-024-230’, an unpatented Sun World breeding selection, and the pollen parent is an unknown Sun World breeding selection. The new variety was produced as a result of open pollination in 2001. The date of planting of the new variety was January 2002, and the date of first flowering was February 2003. The new peach variety was first asexually propagated by Terry Bacon near Wasco, Kern County, Calif. in 2004 by budding onto ‘Nemared’ (unpatented) rootstock.
The new variety is distinguished from its seed parent, ‘94003-024-230’, in that it ripens 3 days later than the seed parent and has approximately 90-100% red over-color and bright yellow background color, while the seed parent has only approximately 50% over-color and a green background color.
The new variety most closely resembles the commercial low chill peach ‘Supechfifteen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,177), but may be distinguished from ‘Supechfifteen’ in that the new variety ripens 3 days later, has approximately 90-100% red over-color, non-melting flesh, and 13% soluble solids (brix), while ‘Supechfifteen’ has approximately 60% red over-color, melting flesh, and 12% brix.
The new variety has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, budding onto ‘Nemared’ rootstock.